Memberships
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Alpaca Owners and Breeders AssociationAOBA is our national alpaca member organization. It is the driving force of the alpaca livestock industry. Through the Show System alpaca shows are governed and approved, conferences & educational events held, and working with other alpaca organizations such as the Alpaca Registry, Alpaca Fiber Cooperative of North America and the Alpaca Research Foundation the direction of the industry is set. A world-class marketing program and Show System serves the mutual benefit of all members. AOBA increases awareness of the alpaca as an animal and the use of their exquisite fiber in garments and household items of every type. |
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Alpaca Registry, Inc (ARI)ARI is the largest alpaca pedigree registry in the world. ARI is the only organization of its kind in the United States, but also registers alpacas in Canada and other countries throughout the world.Using advanced DNA technology, ARI validates the parentage of alpacas submitted for pedigree registration. Once an alpaca's parentage has been validated, ARI issues a registration certificate that provides known lineage and assigns a unique number to each alpaca. ARI itself is a tremendous asset to the entire alpaca community. Created in 1988, the ARI methodology and database are some of the most sophisticated and accurate of any livestock industry anywhere in the world. The vast majority of alpacas in North America are registered with ARI. The Registry protects the existing gene pool and helps ensure each breeder's investment is protected from cross-breeding with other camelids and precludes the registration of an alpaca if its parents were not ARI registered alpacas. ARI is currently a closed registry which means that every alpaca that is registered must be DNA tested and validated as an offspring of two other ARI registered parents. If this can not be validated, the alpaca will not be registered. |
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Southeastern Alpaca AssociationThe SeAA offers members many opportunities to promote alpacas and individual farms through the Southeast in addition to providing education to the members and the public about alpacas. There are many benefits in belonging to this regional organization for the farms in the Southeastern United States. Bill is currently serving on the board of directors as President and Amber is the membership chairperson. |